The present invention relates to an improved dental flossing tool.
Flossing to remove bacteria containing plaque between teeth and below the gum line is an important aspect of dental hygiene because plaque removal can reduce the incidence of health problems including tooth decay and gum disease. It can be difficult and unpleasant to floss manually because of the need to use two hands in awkward motions and the necessity to place fingers in the mouth. As a result there has long been a need for a practical, effective flossing tool. This need has never been successfully met.
The most common type of known dental flossing holder is a one-piece molded plastic fork having a handle and spaced arms with tips separated by a gap. The user secures the ends of a length of floss, for example by wrapping them around a knob near the handle, with the floss held in a straight line and taut across the gap. This holder is intended to make flossing easier than when done manually and to eliminate the need for the user to use two hands and to place fingers in the mouth. However this holder has disadvantages.
Effective flossing requires that the floss be in a straight line or taut in some instances such as when inserted between closely spaced teeth, but be in a loop under variable tension in other instances such as when it is desired to wrap the floss partially around a tooth and wipe or sweep the tooth surface. With known fork holders, the floss path length cannot be adjusted to provide both straight line and looped floss in the gap and the tension of the floss in the gap cannot be varied. It would be desirable for a flossing tool to provide an easy way for the user to adjust the configuration and the tension of the floss in the flossing gap.
When flossing, the user must force the floss into the inter dental crevices between adjacent teeth. This can require substantial force, especially when the adjacent teeth are closely spaced. With manual flossing there is no mechanical advantage to assist this motion. With the known fork holder, there is a limited mechanical assist resulting from the cantilever length of the holder, but the effect is limited. It would be desirable for a flossing tool to provide an effective mechanical advantage making it easy for the user to generate and control the necessary entry force at various positions in the mouth.
During flossing, a fresh segment of floss should be used at each site. Another problem with the known fork holder is that it is difficult to provide clean floss in the flossing gap because this requires repeatedly unsecuring and resecuring the floss after each site is cleaned. When the floss is anchored around a knob, it must be unwrapped and then rewrapped after each inter tooth crevice is cleaned. As a result the tendency is for a soiled segment of floss to be reused.
It has been proposed to provide a powered flossing tool in order to automatically advance fresh floss into position. For example it has been suggested that a motor might take up soiled floss while reeling out fresh floss. Such a tool would be subject to the disadvantages of complexity and high cost.
A principal object of the present invention is to provide an improved dental flossing tool. Other objects are to provide a dental flossing tool with which the floss path length can be adjusted to provide either a straight line or a loop configuration of floss with variable tension in a flossing gap; to provide a dental flossing tool with which it is convenient and easy to advance fresh floss into the flossing gap after each inter tooth site is cleaned; to provide a dental flossing tool offering effective mechanical advantage to assist the insertion of floss between teeth at various locations in the mouth; and to provide a dental flossing tool overcoming the disadvantages of known flossing aids.
In brief, in accordance with the invention there is provided a dental flossing tool including a handle and a tip spaced from the handle. The tip includes a pair of floss guides defining a flossing gap The tool provides a floss path including the flossing gap. A floss anchor structure holds a length of floss in the floss path. A floss path length adjuster varies the floss path length in order to alter the configuration and the tension of floss in the gap.
In brief, in accordance with another aspect of the invention, there is provided a dental flossing tool including a handle and a pair of arms extending from the handle. A pair of floss guides at the ends of the arms define a flossing gap. A floss anchor structure adjacent the handle holds the ends of a length of floss extending along a floss path including the floss guides and the flossing gap. A bite member is supported between the arms.
In brief, in accordance with yet another aspect of the invention, there is provided a dental flossing tool including a handle and a pair of arms extending from the handle. A pair of floss guides at the ends of the arms define a flossing gap. A floss anchor structure adjacent the handle holds the ends of a length of floss extending along a floss path including the floss guides and the flossing gap. The floss anchor structure includes a floss clamp having first and second relatively movable clamp jaws each having a floss engaging gripping surface.